Section 7. (a) The board shall select a qualified individual to act as executive director and shall delegate to the executive director full authority to manage the affairs of the corporation and the Massachusetts Microelectronics Center. The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the board. The executive director shall present to the board for its approval annual budgets, staffing plans, operating plans and production plans. The executive director shall supervise the employees of the corporation and the Massachusetts Microelectronics Center and shall have the power to hire and fire them. The executive director shall serve as chief liaison officer to the participating businesses and participating institutions in order to enhance their support of and participation in the affairs of the Massachusetts Microelectronics Center. The executive director shall provide that the resources of the Massachusetts Microelectronics Center are made available to participating institutions in a nondiscriminatory manner.

(b) If, pursuant to section six, the board establishes additional centers, it shall determine whether or not to appoint individual executive directors with similar authority for such centers, in view of the technology in question.